i feel like i'm doing my part to help out the environment. >>> now it's time to clear the air. in september, 1964, two months after president lyndon johnson signed the civil rights act into law, senator strom thurman, candidate for president, who specialized in epic filibusters of civil rights laws and one of 21 democrats, plus 6 republicans, to vote against the 64 bill, quit the democratic party. he became one of only two republican senators to represent a southern state. the other was john tower of texas. when strom passed away in 2008, he was praised by congressman joe wilson, and senator jeff sessions as having helped to build the modern republican party in the south. thurman was one of the most famous party-jumpers in american political history but far from the only one. lots have done it. ronald reagan, judge jesse helms. lieberman became independent in 2001 and 2006. and arlen specter, the 29-year republican senator from pennsylvania became a democrat in 2009. which brings us to charlie crist, who this morning announced he will run for florida governor as a democrat. he